Category: Mormons

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) holds its annual Hill Cumorah Pageant just south of the town of Palmyra, NY, about 25 miles east of Rochester. This year was the 80th anniversary of the pageant and it ran from July 14-15 and 18-22 with yesterday’s performance being the final night. The church reports that around 35,000 people attend the pageant annually.

The production is a reenactment of the claims of the church’s Book of Mormon, that Jews immigrated to the Americas around 600 BC and split into two warring factions, that they were visited by the resurrected Jesus Christ, and that the one group, the Lamanites (supposed ancestors of the Native Americans) obliterated* the godly Nephite civilization. Angel Moroni (the last surviving Nephite) allegedly appeared to young Joseph Smith at Palmyra in 1823 and one thing led to another with the eventual establishment of the LDS church in 1830.

The Mormons buy a lot of television time in the Western and Central New York areas advertising the pageant. It’s billed as a “must-see event” and “possibly the largest annual outdoor theatrical production in the United States” with its 750 volunteers, ten-level stage, state-of-the-art light and sound systems, and 8,000 seats. While the church advertises the pageant as a free theatrical extravaganza, the entire purpose of the production is to draw non-LDS and expose them to the Mormon religion. Mormon missionaries canvas the crowd prior to each performance, asking people to fill out contact information forms for post-pageant follow-up.

The gospel of the LDS church has nothing to do with the Gospel of salvation by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone. The church’s many unorthodox beliefs are totally contrary to Scripture and the Gospel of grace. Many people today have no knowledge of the Bible and get sucked into the church’s pro-family, pro-morality, pro-USA facade.

For my previous posts on the absolute untenableness of Mormon beliefs and the complete lack of archaeological evidence to corroborate the Book of Mormon myths, see here and here.

*According to the Book of Mormon, the last remnant of the Nephite civilization, 230,000 people, engaged the fierce Lamanites in one final, desperate stand at Hill Cumorah, the site of the pageant, around 385 AD. The B of M text claims all of the Nephites perished during the battle except for Moroni. One would rightly assume that such a mammoth gathering and conflict would have resulted in thousands of ancient artifacts, but the Smithsonian has no plans for an archaeological dig at Hill Cumorah any time soon. In fact, the Smithsonian issued a statement citing absolutely no archaeological evidence for the ancient Nephite and Lamanite civilizations as alleged by the Book of Mormon. See here.

The last couple of days I’ve posted on topics related to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons). Today, I’ll finish up this short series with a humorous memory from long ago.

This story may be a little offensive to some so I apologize in advance. I mean no offense to my Lord or fellow believers but I think the words are a valuable part of the story. As a little background, our son, Steve, was around five years old at the time and I hadn’t accepted the Lord Jesus Christ yet. The language around our home may have been a little raw at times.

Sometime back around 1982-83, our youngest son, Steve, and I packed into the car and headed to Fayette, New York, about 50 miles away. I had studied the origins of the Mormon church for several years and had already visited the church-sponsored visitor centers and historic sites in Palmyra (Smith family home, Sacred Grove, Hill Cumorah, and Grandin print shop where the Book of Mormon was printed). In Fayette was the Peter Whitmer farm and visitor center. Whitmer had been an early and important follower of Smith. The Mormon church was formally organized at the Whitmer farm in 1830.

So Steve and I arrived at the Whitmer site and we began strolling through the visitor center exhibit. The elderly husband and wife Mormon missionary couple assigned to the center came over to greet us and commenced with their sales pitch. I had no intention of joining Mormonism (I was already well aware of much of the church’s dubious history and theology at that point) but I enjoyed engaging the couple in conversation and impressing them with how knowledgeable I was. After about ten minutes of conversation, our young son began losing his patience and piped in, “Dad, can we go now? ” I replied with that pat parental answer, “In a little while.” After ten more minutes of talking, a much more frustrated Steve said, “DAD! Can we go now???” I was disappointed my son had interrupted us again so I gave him a stern look and said once again that we would be leaving soon. Sensing their opportunity was coming to an end, the elderly couple began pushing VERY hard to close the deal. After several more minutes, Steve could no longer contain himself and blurted out very loudly, “DAD, LET’S GET OUT OF THIS G** D*** PLACE!” The couple’s jaws dropped right down to the floor. I was stunned and very embarrassed. My son had never spoken that way to me before, in private or public. But I was also relieved that he gave us a good reason to walk away. I apologized and we scooted out the door. As I looked back, the old couple was still standing there in a state of shock. I think I remember buying my son an ice cream cone on the way home. Steve, was only five but he had nailed it right on the head.

The chronology is a little fuzzy after 30+ years, but I believe my wife and I accepted the Lord just a few months after this encounter. That poor couple was selling a false gospel of works religion and much of their church’s unorthodox doctrine had no connection to the Bible. We Christians proclaim the Good News of salvation by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone! And we stand on the Truth of God’s Good Word, not on some home-brewed religion or traditions.

As I mentioned in yesterday’s post (see here), several decades ago I spent a lot of time studying the origins of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons). I learned the church’s founder, Joseph Smith, claimed to have translated some Egyptian papyri into the “Book of Abraham” in 1835. When the papyri were discovered 130 years later they were found to be only simple Egyptian funerary instructions rather than the writings of Abraham. Smith was proven to be a charlatan.

But the “Book of Abraham” hoax is far from the only embarrassing and incriminating item in LDS history. Today, let’s look at 4 other problems the LDS church has a difficult time explaining.

1) Origin of Native Americans disproved

In early 19th-century America, there was endless speculation and debate on the origins of the Native Americans. Joseph Smith was allegedly directed to golden plates by the angel Moroni in 1823, which he subsequently translated into the Book of Mormon. According to the BoM, a tribe of Israelites traveled by boat to the Americas around 600 BC. The immigrant group split into two factions, the warlike, dark-skinned (natch) Lamanites and the peaceful, godly, fair-skinned Nephites. Jesus Christ supposedly appeared to the Lamanites and Nephites after His resurrection and peace reigned for a short time but conflict then resumed. The unbelieving Lamanites slaughtered the last of the Nephites at a cataclysmic battle in 385 AD at Hill Cumorah near Palmyra, NY. According to the BoM, the Native Americans are descendants of the Lamanites. However, modern science has thrown a wrench into the BoM narrative. Researchers agree that the ancestors of the Native Americans migrated from Eastern Asia to the Americas over the ancient Bearing Strait land bridge. DNA evidence completely debunks the BoM’s claims that Native Americans are of Semitic origin.

2) No evidence of grand Nephite civilization

The Book of Mormon describes a highly advanced Nephite civilization with cities scattered across the Americas. However, not one shred of archaeological evidence has ever been unearthed which supports the BoM claims of a vast Nephite civilization with its “Reformed Egyptian” language. Despite intense efforts by the Mormon church, archaeology offers Smith’s BoM tale zero support.

3) Blacks denied priesthood then allowed

The second prophet and president of the LDS church, Brigham Young, declared in 1852 that Black men could not be Mormon priests. He claimed Blacks were descendants of Ham and their dark skin was the curse of Cain and, as such, could not attain the priesthood. Due to mounting societal pressures, the twelfth prophet of the church, Spencer Kimball, reversed Young’s declaration in 1978 and accepted Black men to the priesthood. How could one God-led prophet reverse the teachings of another?

4) Polygamy encouraged then abandoned

Joseph Smith introduced polygamy into the church as a sanctioned and blessed practice. His early successors continued to condone and encourage polygamy. However, in the face of mounting pressure from the U.S. government, Wilford Woodruff, the 4th prophet and president, claimed to receive a revelation in 1890 discontinuing plural marriage. Hmmm, the Mormon god seems to be quite a vacillating character, reversing himself on such important issues as the priesthood for Black men and polygamy.

Yes, false prophets and false religions abound. There are many denominations that claim to be “Christian” but do they uphold the orthodoxy of the Word of God? Do they proclaim the Gospel of salvation by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone? Be cautious of what and who you embrace. The Lord God has provided more than enough proof for even the most credulous LDS that Joseph Smith was a deceiver and Mormonism is a false religious system. If your favorite TBN “evangelical” preacher embraces Mormon, Glenn Beck, cut your ties. You’re in trouble if you’re getting your theology from TBN.

“This is what the LORD Almighty says: “Do not listen to what the (false) prophets are prophesying to you; they fill you with false hopes. They speak visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of the LORD.” – Jeremiah 23:16

Recently, I’ve posted some messages about how conservative pundit, Glenn Beck, has been invited to participate in evangelical-sponsored events. Beck is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Mormons. Some evangelicals would argue that Beck shares the same “moral values” as conservative Christians and indeed loves God righteously according to his own belief system. They argue evangelicals would be better off embracing religious Americans like Beck who share the same “moral values” rather than checking the fine print of their denominational membership cards in this age of encroaching secularism.

Really? I say not so fast.

I’m a bit of a history geek and back in the late 70s-early 80s I was curious about the Mormon church, which had it’s beginnings in Palmyra, New York, about 25 miles from where I live. Joseph Smith claimed that God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared to him in 1820, which later led to his receiving “golden tablets” and producing the Book of Mormon. Smith founded the Mormon church in Palmyra, which subsequently relocated to Ohio, then to Illinois, and finally to Utah.

The Mormon church has some extremely strange unbiblical theology but I will only touch on a few particulars for this post. Mormons do not preach the Gospel of salvation by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone. They teach baptismal regeneration and that God the Father was once a mortal man who advanced to deity by obeying a different god. Mormons believe that by following their church’s requirements, they can achieve deity themselves and rule over their own universes.

Joseph Smith claimed to be God’s prophet and to receive direct revelation. But while studying Mormonism, I discovered some irrefutable proof that Joseph Smith was a deceiver and a false prophet.

After the church had moved to Kirtland, Ohio, a traveling exhibit came to town, which included some ancient Egyptian papyri. Smith got his hands on the papyri and translated them into “The Book of Abraham,” alleged writings from the Old Testament patriarch, which was subsequently canonized as Mormon scripture. In the 1960s, the very same papyri in question were discovered in the archives of a New York City museum. Trained Egyptologists examined the papyri and found they were simple Egyptian funerary rites. Smith’s “translation” was proven to be a complete and total lie, a fabrication.

“When Joseph first gave his translation, hieroglyphics were undecipherable. Today they are. He was safe in saying anything he wanted to, and there would be no way of proving him wrong. But with the resurfacing of the same papyri he used to do his Book of Abraham translation and the fact that he did not in any way do it correctly should be proof enough that Joseph Smith lied about his abilities from God. He has been shown to be a false prophet.” – from “The Book of Abraham Papyri and Joseph Smith,” Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry

Mormon apologists backpedaled by declaring the papyri were simply a “catalyst” for revelation!

Smith was proven to be an absolute, 100% fraud, yet the Mormon church marches on, drawing more poor souls into its false gospel. And now we have the evangelical compromisers on TBN inviting Mormon Beck to help them defend American “values” and the “gospel.”

“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.” – 1 John 4:1

Last night I was winding down the day by enjoying my usual evening ritual: laying in bed while channel surfing. I happened to catch a glimpse of a special on the Trinity Broadcasting Network, “Foundations of Freedom,” featuring conservative polemicist, Glenn Beck (left), and Christian nationalist, David Barton (right). I didn’t watch for very long, but Beck and Barton were talking about defending America’s status as a “Christian nation.”

So, we now have a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormons), Glenn Beck, featured on a supposedly evangelical Christian television network, defending America as a Christian nation? Hey, who cares about correct doctrine? Don’t be a nitpicker! We all love America! We all love Jesus and our Judeo-Christian values! We need to forget about doctrinal squabbles and embrace each other and fight the secular and non-Christian hordes amassing inside and outside our gates! Right? That’s the priority, correct?

Christians in America are betraying the Gospel in the name of national pride and nobody says a thing.